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1. Get rid of the lazy addiction to evil: Lent is a powerful
season, a turning point that can foster change and conversion to
each of us. We all need to improve, to change for the better. Lent
helps us and thus we leave behind old habits and the lazy
addiction to the evil that deceives and ensnares us. General
Audience, 3/5/2104

2. Do something that hurts: Lent is a fitting time for self-denial;
we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to
help and enrich others by own poverty. Let us not forget that real
poverty hurts; no self-denial is real with this dimension of
penance. I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not
hurt. Lenten Message/2014

3. Don't remain indifferent: Indifference to our neighbor and to
God also represents a real temptation to for us Christian. Each
year during Lent we need to hear once more the voice of the
prophets who cry out and trouble our conscience. God is not
indifferent to our world; he so loves it that he gave his Son for our
salvation. Lenten Message/2015

4. Pray: Make our hearts like yours!: During this Lent, then
brothers and sisters, let us all ask the Lord: Make our hearts like
yours (Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus). In this way we will
receive a heart which is firm and merciful, attentive and generous,
a heart which is not closed, indifferent or prey to the globalization
of indifference. Lenten Message/2015

5. Take part in the Sacraments: Lent is a favorable time for
letting Christ serve us so that we in turn may become more like
him. This happens whenever we hear the word of God and receive
the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. There we become what
we receive: the Body of Christ. Lenten Message/2015

6. Prayer: In the face of so many wounds that hurt us and could
harden our hearts, we are called to dive into the sea of prayer,
which is the sea of God’s boundless love, to taste his tenderness.
Lent is a time of prayer, of more intense prayer, more prolonged,
more assiduous, more able to take on the needs of the brethren;
intercessory prayer, to intercede before God for the many
situations of poverty and suffering. Homily, March 5, 2014

7. Fasting: We must be careful not to practice a formal fast, or
one which in truth ‘satisfies’ us because it makes us feel good
about ourselves. Fasting makes sense if it questions our
security, and if it also leads to some benefit for others, if it helps
us to cultivate the style of the Good Samaritan, who bends down to
his brother in need and takes care of him. Homily, March 5, 2014

8. Almsgiving: Today gratuitousness is often not part of daily
life where everything is bought and sold. Everything is calculated
and measured. Almsgiving helps us to experience giving freely,
which leads to freedom from the obsession of possessing, from the
fear of losing what we have, from the sadness of one who does not
wish to share his wealth with others. Homily, March 5, 2014

9. Help the Poor: In the poor and outcast we see Christ’s face; by
loving and helping the poor, we love and serve Christ. Our efforts
are also directed to ending violations of human dignity,
discrimination and abuse in the world, for these are so often the
cause of destitution. When power, luxury and money become
idols, they take priority over the need for a fair distribution of
wealth. Our consciences thus need to be converted to justice,
equality, simplicity and sharing. Lenten Message/2014

10. Evangelize: The Lord asks us to be joyous heralds of this
message of mercy and hope! It is thrilling to experience the joy of
spreading this good news, sharing the treasure entrusted to us,
consoling broken hearts and offering hope to our brothers and
sisters experiencing darkness. Lenten Message/2014

This week we enter in the sacred time in the life of the Church with
Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. In this time of 40 days of
prayer, penance and almsgiving, we are made aware of our failings
and our need to grow in our discipleship of Christ, a reawakening
of our longing to be with God forever. We know that Lent does not
hold the minds and hearts of Catholics as it used to, but we who
continue to honor the Lord with lives of service, can make a
difference. We will all be challenged this Lent to be more generous
with the gifts we have, moments and opportunities of prayer
through daily Mass, the Rites of Christian Initiation celebrated at
various Masses, the reception of mercy in the Sacrament of
Reconciliation, and prayer times such as the Stations of the Cross
and reflected moments.

Needless to say, I am well aware of the fact that February 14th, is
also Valentine's Day. I would venture to say that Ash Wednesday is
far more important, and the couples wishing to celebrate
Valentines can do so on another day. Let's give to God what
belongs to God, our heart, soul, and mind.

Masses this Wednesday will be at 7am, at the Noon hour, with a
Liturgy of Word and Ashes at 5:30 pm, followed by a Spanish
Liturgy of the Word and Ashes at 7pm.

Guidelines for Lenten Practices

The Church asks that all Catholics fast on Ash Wednesday and
Good Friday, meaning one main meal and two smaller meals. On
the Fridays of Lent, all should do their best to refrain from eating
meat in an act of sacrifice. If one is a vegetarian, then another
form of penance should take place. Please be aware that a diet
restriction during Lent should not interferewith health
issues. Also, the Church does not attach sin when one doesn't
follow a Lenten observation, but rather it is our response to God's
mercy and goodness.

Almsgiving during the Sundays of Lent for 2018

Once again, for the third year, there will be a second collection
every Sunday during Lent to make our obligation to the Bishop's
Annual Appeal. This parish is assessed $11,000 every year. Every
year, we have been successful in paying off our obligation during
Lent. It is a wonderful way to concretely practice almsgiving so
that the Church can reach out to evangelize and to form new
priests for the future.

Please pray for the soul of Fr. Michael Burchfield, J.C.L. Fr. Burchfield passed away Monday, November 20th and his funeral was held this passed Wednesday, November 29th. Fr. Burchfield was head of the Diocese of Fresno

Tribunal and was current pastor of The Shrine of St. Therese, of Fresno. He will be greatly missed by family, friends and fellow priests.

Next Saturday, December 2nd, the Diocese of Fresno will celebrate closing of the 50 years since the foundation of the diocese, when it separated from the Diocese of Monterey. Bishop Armando X. Ochoa will preside at the Mass at Holy Spirit Church in Fresno at 11am. Bishop Richard Garcia, of the Diocese of Monterey will join him at this special occasion. Cardinal Roger Mahony, formerly of Fresno, will give the homily. All are invited to attend this Mass as we thank God for the 50 years of faithful ministry to the Central Valley and the High Desert.

Next Sunday, December 3rd, Bishop Armando Ochoa will come to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church to celebrate the opening Mass of the Novena of Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast. Bishop Ochoa will be joining our annual Procession that begins at Coe Park and will celebrate the 12 noon Mass. Following the Mass, an all-afternoon celebration will continue in the parish Pavilion. All are invited to join our Bishop and to begin nine days of

prayer as we begin to celebrate the feast on December 12th.

Father Francisco, a priest from Mexico, will be joining us for the nine days of Masses and special services, which will be offered every evening in our church. Father Francisco has family in our area, and agreed to come and to

bless the community with his special ministry of preaching and leading prayer for the novena. Look for the schedule in our bulletin.

Looking to the feast of the Immaculate Conception on Friday, December 8, we remind all that this a holy day of obligation, as the Immaculate Conception is the Patroness of the United States. We are adding a Vigil Mass this year on Thursday evening, December 7th, at 7pm in English. The Masses on December 8 will be at 7AM, 12noon, and 7pm in Spanish.

It’s that time of the year...IHM Church is selling See’s Candies!!! Pre-sale Starts November 14th to December 11th

Money must be collected when placing an order. Checks must be made out to “IHM.” The candy will be distributed the third week of December. If you have any questions, please contact the parish office. Thank you for your support!